John Lennon wanted to be every kind of artist — including an actor. In 1967, he got his wish, appearing in How I Won the War without the other Beatles members. Here was the other “Fab Four” members’ reaction to his solo success.
John Lennon starred in ‘How I Won The War’ (without the other Beatles members) Beatle John Lennon (right) and Roy Kinnear play members of a British Platoon caught up in World War II’s north Africa campaign, ‘How I Won the War’ | Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images
While still writing with the Beatles, Lennon starred in a featured film. How I Won the War premiered in 1967, featuring Lee Montague, Michael Crawford, and Roy Kinnear. The IMDb description states, “an inept British World War II commander leads his troops through a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe.”
Lennon acted as “Gripweed,” although this wouldn’t be the first film starring the musician.
John Lennon starred in ‘How I Won The War’ (without the other Beatles members) Beatle John Lennon (right) and Roy Kinnear play members of a British Platoon caught up in World War II’s north Africa campaign, ‘How I Won the War’ | Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images
While still writing with the Beatles, Lennon starred in a featured film. How I Won the War premiered in 1967, featuring Lee Montague, Michael Crawford, and Roy Kinnear. The IMDb description states, “an inept British World War II commander leads his troops through a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe.”
Lennon acted as “Gripweed,” although this wouldn’t be the first film starring the musician.
- 2/26/2023
- by Julia Dzurillay
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Beatles memorabilia has always generated interest among collectors. There will always be those who can afford to pay top dollar for genuine merchandise and for those whose fandom goes way beyond the group’s music. However, on this day in 2016, a fifty-year-old piece of John Lennon’s hair from the set of How I Won the War sold for 35K. Beatles collectors paid big bucks for the personal item and two other mementos.
John Lennon on the set of ‘How I Won the War’ | Peter Timmullstein/Getty Images John Lennon starred in the 1967 dark comedy ‘How I Won the War’
In the latter part of his Beatles career, John Lennon starred in the 1967 dark comedy, How I Won the War. The film was directed by Richard Lester, who also directed A Hard Day’s Night and Help!
How I Won the War tells the tale of the fictional 3rd Troop...
John Lennon on the set of ‘How I Won the War’ | Peter Timmullstein/Getty Images John Lennon starred in the 1967 dark comedy ‘How I Won the War’
In the latter part of his Beatles career, John Lennon starred in the 1967 dark comedy, How I Won the War. The film was directed by Richard Lester, who also directed A Hard Day’s Night and Help!
How I Won the War tells the tale of the fictional 3rd Troop...
- 2/20/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Forget the ‘famous book’ doldrums — this exciting seagoing drama will take your head off. Criminally unseen and unheralded, Allied Artists’ classic is an impressive feat by director-co-screenwriter and star Peter Ustinov. It introduced Terence Stamp and provided Robert Ryan with a deserved career highlight.
Billy Budd
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1962 / B&W / 2:35 widescreen / 123 min. / Street Date January 3, 2018 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Robert Ryan, Peter Ustinov, Melvyn Douglas, Paul Rogers, John Neville, David McCallum, Ronald Lewis, Robert Brown, John Meillon, Niall MacGinnis, Terence Stamp.
Cinematography: Robert Krasker
Film Editor: Jack Harris
Original Music: Antony Hopkins
Written by Peter Ustinov, DeWitt Bodeen from the play by Louis O. Coxe, Robert H. Chapman from the novel Billy Budd, Foretopman by Herman Melville
Produced by A. Ronald Lubin, Peter Ustinov
Directed by Peter Ustinov
Talk about a book that works like gangbusters… When Warners’ first DVD came out in 2007 I found out...
Billy Budd
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1962 / B&W / 2:35 widescreen / 123 min. / Street Date January 3, 2018 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Robert Ryan, Peter Ustinov, Melvyn Douglas, Paul Rogers, John Neville, David McCallum, Ronald Lewis, Robert Brown, John Meillon, Niall MacGinnis, Terence Stamp.
Cinematography: Robert Krasker
Film Editor: Jack Harris
Original Music: Antony Hopkins
Written by Peter Ustinov, DeWitt Bodeen from the play by Louis O. Coxe, Robert H. Chapman from the novel Billy Budd, Foretopman by Herman Melville
Produced by A. Ronald Lubin, Peter Ustinov
Directed by Peter Ustinov
Talk about a book that works like gangbusters… When Warners’ first DVD came out in 2007 I found out...
- 7/14/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
By Tim Greaves
Writer Derek Pykett (whose excellent book " MGM British Studios: Hollywood in Borehamwood" was reviewed here earlier this year) has turned his hand to directing; setting up and playing host to a dozen intimate interviews with some of Britain's most respected and beloved thesps, the results are now available on DVD with "From Stage to Screen", a privately produced, limited edition 6-disc box set.
With each performer given their own ‘episode’ and a total running time of 15 hours, there's so much material here that it'll take the average viewer a number of sittings to get through it all. Beyond starting with disc one and working through methodically, where one begins is probably going to be proportionate to the level of esteem in which the viewer holds each particular actor or actress represented within the set; I confess that at the time of writing I still have a fair bit to get through.
Writer Derek Pykett (whose excellent book " MGM British Studios: Hollywood in Borehamwood" was reviewed here earlier this year) has turned his hand to directing; setting up and playing host to a dozen intimate interviews with some of Britain's most respected and beloved thesps, the results are now available on DVD with "From Stage to Screen", a privately produced, limited edition 6-disc box set.
With each performer given their own ‘episode’ and a total running time of 15 hours, there's so much material here that it'll take the average viewer a number of sittings to get through it all. Beyond starting with disc one and working through methodically, where one begins is probably going to be proportionate to the level of esteem in which the viewer holds each particular actor or actress represented within the set; I confess that at the time of writing I still have a fair bit to get through.
- 8/12/2016
- by [email protected] (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Cinema Retro has received the following press announcement:
For the first time on DVD a brand new series of relaxed, intimate, face to face interviews with some of Britain’s finest, much loved actors, who share with us moments from their lives and work in theatre, television and films.
With careers that span over seven decades, we hear stories about the greatest theatres (The National; The Old Vic; The Royal Shakespeare Company); the theatrical knights (Olivier; Gielgud; Richardson); the bright lights of Broadway, and the most celebrated movie directors of the twentieth century (Spielberg; Fellini; Huston; Chaplin; Visconti; Lean).
Featuring an extensive archive of rare photographs and film trailers, it is a nostalgic trip down memory lane in the company of highly respected actors who have given us some unforgettable performances.
Joss Ackland, Michael Medwin, Vera Day, Julian Glover, Michael Craig, Roy Dotrice, Sarah Miles, Lee Montague, Michael Jayston, Derren Nesbitt,...
For the first time on DVD a brand new series of relaxed, intimate, face to face interviews with some of Britain’s finest, much loved actors, who share with us moments from their lives and work in theatre, television and films.
With careers that span over seven decades, we hear stories about the greatest theatres (The National; The Old Vic; The Royal Shakespeare Company); the theatrical knights (Olivier; Gielgud; Richardson); the bright lights of Broadway, and the most celebrated movie directors of the twentieth century (Spielberg; Fellini; Huston; Chaplin; Visconti; Lean).
Featuring an extensive archive of rare photographs and film trailers, it is a nostalgic trip down memory lane in the company of highly respected actors who have given us some unforgettable performances.
Joss Ackland, Michael Medwin, Vera Day, Julian Glover, Michael Craig, Roy Dotrice, Sarah Miles, Lee Montague, Michael Jayston, Derren Nesbitt,...
- 8/4/2016
- by [email protected] (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Movie Pool takes in the new release of the John Lennon anti-war film How I Won the War on DVD!
Blu-ray Specs
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 enhanced for widescreen TVs
Running Time: 111 minutes
Rating: Not rated
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English
Special Features: Trailer, commemorative photo book
The DVD is offered as part of MGM's "Limited Edition Collection" on DVD, which are available from select online retailers and are manufactured only when the DVD is ordered. The DVD features a simple menu with no menu for chapters or scenes. Chapters are set every ten minutes. Manufacture-On-Demand (Mod) DVDs will play in DVD playback units only and may not play in DVD recorders or PC drives. This DVD did not play in our laptop DVD drive but did play in our Toshiba DVD recorder.
The Set-up
Michael Crawford and John Lennon (in his only non-Beatles film role) play incompetent British soldiers during World War II.
Blu-ray Specs
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 enhanced for widescreen TVs
Running Time: 111 minutes
Rating: Not rated
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English
Special Features: Trailer, commemorative photo book
The DVD is offered as part of MGM's "Limited Edition Collection" on DVD, which are available from select online retailers and are manufactured only when the DVD is ordered. The DVD features a simple menu with no menu for chapters or scenes. Chapters are set every ten minutes. Manufacture-On-Demand (Mod) DVDs will play in DVD playback units only and may not play in DVD recorders or PC drives. This DVD did not play in our laptop DVD drive but did play in our Toshiba DVD recorder.
The Set-up
Michael Crawford and John Lennon (in his only non-Beatles film role) play incompetent British soldiers during World War II.
- 4/26/2011
- Cinelinx
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